2026 District Conference
Pleasant Hill Church of the Brethren
300 E Monument St
Pleasant Hill, OH 45359
The Southern Ohio/Kentucky District met together at the Oakland Church of the Brethren September 26 & 27 for district conference. We would like to thank them for their warm hospitality as they welcomed the us to their campus. 57 Delegates represented 20 congregations at this year's conference. We had a total of 98 attendees. Delegates affirmed the slate presented by the Gifts Discernment Commission along with two nominees who were added from the floor. Affirmed are: Dean Garrett as Moderator-Elect, John Leininger and Bettina Balmer on Program and Arrangements Commission, and Amy Hager, Phil Dell, Mike Meade, and Mindy Tipton (all incumbents) on the District Board. The District Clerk position remains open.
Delegates also accepted the following new purpose statement presented by the board:
"The SOH/KY District exists as a diverse community of Jesus’ followers, sharing the transformative love of God as congregations live out the Good News of Jesus as discerned through Scripture and the Holy Spirit.
Our congregations and the board do this by:
· Resourcing – what do the congregations, pastors, and the board need?
· Equipping – who needs to be equipped based on revealed resourcing needs?
· Supporting – how can mutual support empower everyone to thrive?"
They also spent significan time charting a plan of action which will implement this purpose statement in the district's future.
In addition, delegates accepted our 2026 Budget and approved a revision to our "Code of Regulations" which will reduce the number of board members from 15 members and the previous year's moderator to 11 members and the previous year's moderator. This reduction will take place over a two year time period by not replacing members whose term is over.
The 2026 conference will be held on September 25 & 26 at the Pleasant Hill Church of the Brethren. The Moderator is Linda Brandon Eubank and the theme is "The Least of These".
District Conference Purpose
From Southern Ohio/Kentucky District Code of Regulations. District Conference is the annual meeting of the District. It is a mass meeting to which delegates and others interested from the congregations come in business sessions, worship, and fellowship to give implementation to the district purpose. District Conference is the final authority of the District on policy, program, and procedure. District Conference must approve the District Budget, except for the Outdoor Ministries Budget, which is approved by the Board. District Conference must elect Board Members, District Conference Officers, Member of the Program and Arrangements Committee and various representatives to denominational offices. The Program and Arrangements Committee sets the time and place of District Conference at least six months before District Conference.
Each congregation shall have one vote for each delegate attending District Conference. Each congregation with less than 201 members shall be entitled to four delegates. Larger congregations shall have additional delegates based upon current Church of the Brethren practices for allocating additional delegates for Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.[each congregation having more than 200 members may send one additional for each 200 or fraction thereof.] The Pastor and the leader of the governing board shall be delegates because of their office. Additional delegates shall be elected by the congregation for two year terms. A fellowship is entitled to send four voting delegates to District Conference.
